In order to recover oils from certain geologic formations, steam can be injected to increase the mobility of the oil within the formation via such processes known as steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD). The oil that is made mobile enough to flow through the formation due to gravity gathers in a well for production. Cost of prior approaches to drain reservoirs containing the oil with a natural viscosity that inhibits the recovery makes any inefficiency a problem. Various factors may prevent achieving performance levels as high as desired or needed for economic success.
One example of the factors influencing the economic success of the SAGD includes duration of startup time while steam is circulated without production to establish fluid communication between an injector and producer well pair. In addition, heterogeneities in the formation can prevent full development of chambers formed in the formation by the steam if migration of the steam is blocked. The chambers also tend to develop upward with less lateral development since gravity influences required for momentum decreases as the chambers spread. As a result, percentage of the oil recoverable from areas located between two adjacent steam chambers and toward bottoms of the chambers diminishes relative to where the chambers form and may merge together in the formation. Speed of the lateral development for the chambers further influences rate at which the oil can be produced.
Therefore, a need exists for improved methods and systems for developing chambers in reservoirs formed during steam assisted oil recovery.